The appeal and reviews of "Hinamatsuri": The perfect balance of laughter and emotion

"Hinamatsuri": The strange cohabitation of a psychic girl and a yakuza

"Hinamatsuri" is a TV anime series based on the manga of the same name by Masao Ohtake, and was broadcast from April 6 to June 22, 2018. A total of 12 episodes were broadcast every Friday from 9:00 pm for 30 minutes on AT-X and TOKYO MX. Animation was handled by feel. and the director was Kei Oikawa. The series entertained viewers by maximizing the appeal of the original work while adding unique elements of the anime.

story

The setting of "Hinamatsuri" revolves around the Yakuza organization "Ashikawa-gumi". The main character is a young, intellectual Yakuza called Nitta Yoshifumi. Surrounded by his favorite pots, he lives a carefree single life. However, one day, a girl named Hina appears inside a mysterious object, and Nitta's life changes completely. Hina has powerful telekinetic powers and threatens Nitta, forcing him to live with her. Hina tends to get out of control and does whatever she wants, both in the group and at school, which gives Nitta a headache, but her good-natured nature means he has to take care of her. The dangerous and lively daily life of the good-natured Yakuza and the carefree psychic girl begins.

character

The charm of "Hinamatsuri" lies in its unique characters. The main characters are introduced below.

Chick

A mysterious girl who lives with Nitta's parents. She can move any object with her powerful telekinetic powers. As Nitta's daughter, she usually lives a life of luxury, but she has a blank expression and it's hard to tell what she's thinking. She also has a weakness for salmon roe. Hina's character is appealing because of the contrast between her calm, expressionless appearance and the childlike behavior she sometimes displays.

Yoshifumi Nitta

Nitta is a young member of the Ashikawa gang, and an intellectual yakuza who runs several companies. He was trusted by those around him and lived a comfortable single life, but when Hina came along, he was treated like a divorced man with children. His good-natured nature and tendency to get caught up in trouble make his life even more complicated. The appeal of Nitta's character is that he combines the strictness of a yakuza with the kindness of a human being.

Apricot

Anzu is a girl who was sent by the organization to dispose of Hina. She has the same telekinetic powers as Hina. Although she has a naive and aggressive personality, she is kind at heart and has a rich expression. However, she is so clumsy that things aren't going well in her life, and she continues to live as a homeless person. Anzu's character is fascinating because of the mixture of strengths and weaknesses.

Hitomi Mishima

She is Hina's classmate at junior high school and acts as her guardian. At night, she works as a bartender at Utako's bar. She has a tendency to get caught up in things and is very clever, so she is often relied on by useless adults. She adds excitement to the story as a jack-of-all-trades woman. Mishima Hitomi's characters are appealing for their versatility and humanity.

Utako

She is the manager of the bar "Little Song". Nitta has feelings for her, but she skillfully avoids him. Although she is honest and caring, she can be pushy and lazy when it comes to her work. She often leaves all the bartending work to him and skips out. The appeal of Utako's character is that she has both human weakness and strength.

Mao

A girl from the organization that was called by Hanaka. She is acquainted with Hina and Anzu, and she also has telekinesis. She somehow ends up on a deserted island and continues to survive alone. She is lonely and has a habit of talking to dolls. Mao's character is appealing in that it is a mix of loneliness and strength.

Young boss

The underboss of the Ashikawa group. He is very opinionated and rough with people. Although he acknowledges Nitta, he sometimes treats him like a hired assassin. The character of the underboss is appealing in that it combines the strictness of a yakuza with the weakness of a human being.

Sub

Nitta's younger brother. He loves drinking and gambling. Most of what he says is inappropriate, and jumping to conclusions can sometimes get him into big trouble. The main appeal of the sub characters is that they are humorous and have human weaknesses.

staff

Many talented staff members were involved in the production of "Hina Matsuri." Below are the main staff members:

original work

Masao Otake "Hinamatsuri" (published by KADOKAWA)

director

Kei Oikawa

Series Composition and Script

Keiichiro Ochi

Character design and chief animation director

Kanemoto Kanetoshi

assistant director

Katsura Matsubara

Key Animator

Kuniaki Masuda, Tetsuya Takeuchi, Ryo Araki

Art Director

Shunichiro Yoshihara

Art setting

Kaoru Aoki

background

Biho

Color design

Hiroshi Iwaida

Director of Photography

Yuuta Nakamura

edit

Daisuke Hiraki

Sound Director

Satoshi Motoyama

Sound Production

Magic Capsule

music

Yasuhiro Misawa

Music Production

Nippon Columbia

Animation Production

feel.

Production

Hinamatsuri Production Committee

subtitle

The subtitles of each episode of "Hinamatsuri" symbolize the development of the story. Below are the subtitles of all 12 episodes.

• Episode 1: "A Psychic Girl Appears!"
• Episode 2: "This is how you compete in a psychic battle!"
• Episode 3: "Introduction to Homeless Life"
• Episode 4: "Disowned Rock 'n' Roll Fever"
• Episode 5: "Three Men Gather Together and Defeat Manjusri's Wisdom"
• Episode 6: "Nitta's father is a dandy"
• Episode 7: "The poster girl Anzu has started"
• Episode 8: "And Hina is as usual"
• Episode 9: "Life is Survival"
• Episode 10: "Like the Flow of a River"
• Episode 11: A man hungry for blood, violence and money
• Episode 12: "Snow Festival"

Theme songs and music

The theme song and insert songs of "Hinamatsuri" are also important elements that enhance the atmosphere of the story. The theme song and insert songs are introduced below.

Opening Theme

"Distance"

• Lyricist: Kyoichi Miyazaki
• Composer: Kyoichi Miyazaki
• Arrangement: Takago Higashi
• Vocals: Rie Murakawa

Ending Theme

"Salmon, Salmon Roe, 893 and My Daughter"

• Lyricist: Seiji Miura
• Composer: Seiji Miura
• Sung by: Yoshifumi Nitta (CV: Yoshiki Nakajima)

Evaluation and Impressions

"Hinamatsuri" is a comedy about the strange cohabitation of a psychic girl and a yakuza, but it is also packed with deep human drama. The story, woven together by Yoshifumi Nitta's kindness, Hina's expressionless calmness, and the unique characters around her, has the power to draw viewers in.

In particular, the humorous scenes caused by Hina's telekinesis and the troubles that Nitta gets caught up in make viewers laugh, but also move them deeply by depicting the growth of the characters and the changes in their relationships. Additionally, episodes featuring other girls with psychic powers, such as Anzu and Mao, add depth to the story.

The animation produced by feel. is of high quality, and the character designs and background art enhance the atmosphere of the story. In particular, Hina's expressionless face and Nitta's confused expression are drawn realistically, evoking sympathy from the viewer.

Music is also an important element in adding excitement to the story, and the opening theme "Distance" features the impressive powerful voice of Rie Murakawa, while the ending theme "Salmon, Salmon Roe, 893 and Daughter" has humorous lyrics that symbolize Yoshifumi Nitta's characters.

Reasons for recommendation

"Hinamatsuri" is a work that fuses humorous scenes born from the seemingly strange combination of psychic powers and the Yakuza with deep human drama. In particular, the episodes that depict the relationship between Hina and Nitta and the growth of the surrounding characters move viewers. In addition, feel.'s high-quality animation and the power of music are also important elements that liven up the story.

This work has a perfect balance of comedy and drama, and is recommended for viewers who want to enjoy both laughter and emotion. It is also a must-watch for those who are interested in the themes of supernatural powers and the Yakuza. "Hinamatsuri" is a wonderful anime that offers viewers a new perspective and excitement.